Button-cleaning device.



No. 646.896. Patented Apr. 3-, |900.

H. A. DEITERS.

vBUTTON CLEANING DEVICE. (Application median. e, 1990.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY A. DEITERS, OF SPENCER, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO E.L. BILL, OF SAME -PLACE BUTTON-CLEANING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 646,896, dated April3, 1900.

Application filed January 6, 1900. Serial No. 576. (No model.)

To [all Lr/71.0711, it may concern:

Be it known that l, HARRY A. DEITERS, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Spencer, inthe county of Roane and State of Westl Virginia,have invented a new and useful Button-Cleaning Device, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to cleaning or polishing devices in general, andmore particu larly to that class employed for polishing or cleaningbuttons; and it has for one object to provide a construction which maybe employed for the cleaning of metal buttons Without removing them froma garment, a further object being to provide a structure which is rapidand efficient in its operation.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichsimilar numerals of reference designate like and corresponding parts inthe several views,Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the completedevice. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the construction,the polishing-brush being ,shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is asection online3 3 of Fig. 1 and showing the shiftingrod in elevation. Fig. 4 is asection on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, one of the guide-pins being in elevation.Fig. 5 is a perspective View illustrating a garment provided withbuttons and the application of the present invention in its operativeposition.

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention comprises a base 5,one end portion of which is bifurcated to form arms 6 and 7, and at theinner end of the interspace between the arms 6 and 7 is formed a seat 8,

adapted to receive the shank of a button passed through said interspace.

The arms 6 and 7 are beveled at their inner sides, as shown at 9 and 10,and at the inner edges thereof to permit ready application of the armsto receive the shank of the button in the interspace, and in the upperfaces of the arms and at their inner edges are formed longitudinalrecesses 11 and 12, of which the latter is much broader than the former.

In order to close the interspace between the arms 6 and?, and whichinterspace forms a guideway for the shank of the button, a plate 13 isdisposed slidably in the recess 12 and is provided in its under surfacewith guidepins 14, which are adapted to reciprocate in perforations 15in the arm 7 as the plate 13 is moved transversely of the interspace orguideway, the plate being adapted to extend across the interspace andrestjn the recess 11.

To hold the plate 13 normally projected to engage or lie in bothrecesses 1l and 12, a rod 15 is passed transversely through the arm 7and is engaged at its inner end with the under side of the plate 13, asshown at 16.' The rod 15 is disposed centrally of a recess 17, leadingfrom the interspace between the arms to a point adjacent the outer edgeof the arm, and in this recess is disposed a helical spring 19, whichencircles the rod 15. This spring 19 bears at one end upon thesupplemental plate 20, through the medium of which the rod 15 isattached to the plate 13, the opposite end of the helical spring havinga bearing against the outer end of the recess 17. The outer end of therod 15 is provided with a handle inthe form of a knob 2l, through themedium of which the plate 13 may be drawn against the tendency of thespring 19 to uncover the guideway to 'permit application or removal of abutton.

Upon the base 5 is fixed a cylindrical casing 25, the center of which isdisposed in the rear of `the seat 8 and which casing has an opening 26in its side adjacent the guideway, Which opening is provided With aslidable door 27, which is held normally closed by means of a helicalspring 28, which bears at one end against the nger-pieoe 29 of the doorand at its opposite end against the projection 30 and the outer face ofthe casing.

Centrally of the casing 25 is journaled a shaft 31, at the lower end ofwhich is fixed a cylindrical brush 32, which is held normally inoperative relation to the base 5 through the medium of a helical spring33, which encircles the shaft 31 and bears with its lower end againstthe head of the brush andits upper end against the top of the casing.This shaft 31 extends outwardly of the casing to a bearing 34, and uponits upper end is provided with a crank 35, through the medium of whichthe brush may be rotated to cause its bristles to pass transversely ofthe seat 8.

An opening 36 is formed in the casing 25 opposite the opening 26, andthis opening 36 leads to a box 37,1"1Xed to the base 5 and adapted toreceive a polishing or cleaning compound in the form of a powder. Aslidable door 38 is provided for the opening 36 and has a nger-piece 39,which extends above the box 37 and through the medium of which the doormay be raised or lowered to permit and to cut off a supply of the powderto the casing 25. The box 37 has a filling-opening provided with a lid40. v

In operating the present device the box 37 is provided with a suitablepowder, the rod 15 is withdrawn, and the door27 is raised, when thebutton may -be introduced to the seat 8 without removing itfrom thegarment. When the button has entered the seat, the rod 15 is released topermit the plate 13 to close thev polishing operation, as will bereadily understood. It will be seen that with the above structure thebuttons may be easily and quickly polished, and when treated to asuflicient extent they may be withdrawn by iirst raising the door 27 andthen withdrawing the plate 13.

Various modifications of the present invention may be made and anydesired materials or proportions may be used for the various partswit-hout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is- 1. A button-cleaning device comprising a base havinga longitudinal slot and a button.

seat at the inner end of the slot, a casing upon the base inclosing theseat and the adjacent end of the slot, an opening in a wall of thecasing leading to the slot, a closure for said opening, a slide forclosing the slot interiorly and exteriorly of the casing, and a brushwithin the casing for engagement with abutton in the seat.

2. A button-cleaning device comprising a base having a button-seat, anda guideway leading thereto, means for opening and closing the guideway,a brush mounted upon the base and adapted for movement transversely ofthe seat to engage and polish a button therein, an abradant-receptacleadjacent the seat for supplyingan abradant to the brush, and means forregulating the supply of abradant to the brush.

3. A device for cleaning buttons, comprising a base having abutton-seat, a casing inclosing the button-seat, a brush within thecasing and adapted for operative movement with respect to the seat, andan abradant-reeeptacle communicating with the casing for supplying anabradant to the casing and the brush therein.

4. A device for cleaning buttons comprising a base provided with abutton-seat, a casing upon the base and inclosing the seat, a brushwithin the casing and adapted for operative movement with respect to theseat, an abradant-receptacle communicating with the casing, and meansfor regulating the supply of abradant from the receptacle to the casing.

5. A button-cleaning device comprising a bifurcated base having abutton-seat at the inner end of the bifurcation, a -slidable plateadapted to open and close the interspace of the bifurcation, a casinginclosing the inner end of the bifurcation and the button-seat, a brushrotatably mounted in the casing, means for rotating the brush, means forholding the brush yieldably in operative relation to the button-seat, anabradant-receptacle communicating with the casing, and means for openingand closing the communication between said receptacle and the casing.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY A. DEITERS.

Witnesses:

l A. L. KELLEY,

W. L. STARKEY.

